Magic Trade Rumors: Orlando Must Hold out for Beneficial Deal for Dwight Howard

Rob Hennigan must embrace his inner mule.

According to the latest trade rumors, the Orlando Magic are about to get screwed over. Hennigan must be stubborn about pulling the trigger on a swap that fails to further the franchise’s rebuilding process. That involves ridding themselves of their plethora of he’s-getting-paid-how-much contracts.

Ric Bucher of ESPN reported on Wednesday that the Magic were in the process of discussing a three-way trade with the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers. The framework of such a deal would involve Dwight Howard flying to LA, Andrew Bynum to C-Town and Anderson Varejao to Orlando. Before we go any further, I have something I have to get off my chest…

Anderson Varejao, though!?

This is a 29-year-old hustler. And by hustler I don’t mean Rick Ross—Varejao’s only strength is his motor (and flopping ability).

You can’t build a franchise around him. Orlando would be forced to start from scratch, which is OK on one condition: They force the Lakers and Cavs to take all—literally all—of their appalling contracts.

Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times reported that Mitch Kupchak has “no interest” in taking on a contract like Hedo Turkoglu’s.

Oh, so Kupchak wants Howard for Bynum straight up with a draft pick or two sprinkled on top? Forget that garbage.

If the Magic deal Howard for Anderson Varejao without also shipping Turkoglu, Jason Richardson and Glen Davis out of town, Hennigan should be fired on the spot.

Dealing for D12 would instantly begin the rebuilding process, if it hasn’t already begun. It’s impossible to rebuild properly with a roster cluttered with overpaid players.

Remove Turkoglu, Richardson and Davis, though—that’s about $62 million over the next three years—and all of a sudden, the Magic would possess the cap room to sign multiple max-contract players. Throw in the fact that Orlando should receive multiple first-round draft picks in any Howard trade, and they’d be on the right track to getting back to relevancy.

But please, Hennigan, don’t be the guy that traded Dwight Howard for Anderson Varejao without setting yourself up for the future. That’s career suicide.

David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

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